Cali Kid Corals

Interesting read on marine poaching activity off Catalina Island

7 years and nothing more than a slap on the wrist? Geezus... it's wonder why poaching at every level is done so frequently. Should be first offense you get caught, next time you get caught jail time not a misdemeanor, you know exactly what you're doing, you're going to spend time in prison with fines that pay for the cost of the prison stay.
 
To me this is a very frustrating read that we basically have no real enforcement against this kind of unlawful activity. A speeding ticket for going the same speed as everyone else on the freeway is much more vigorously enforced and more expensive.
 
JVU said:
To me this is a very frustrating read that we basically have no real enforcement against this kind of unlawful activity. A speeding ticket for going the same speed as everyone else on the freeway is much more vigorously enforced and more expensive.
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Exactly, I expect this level of enforcement, $115 fine FFS ... I expect something like that in the Philippines or someplace where $115 is a LOT of money, but here? thousands of dollars worth of gobies, and if you get caught $115... kind of makes sense to do illegal stuff if that's all that's happening. Hell the forfeit of the diving gear is probably the bigger negative to it... maybe.

It's like every year when whatever shellfish that you're not allowed to have (abalone as an example) is easily obtainable, they know exactly where people go to get them, they spot them with binoculars and every year they catch bunches (on both sides)... all because "it's a delicacy". Always with the "oh I didn't know" BS response too. Meanwhile you see signs "$1000 for littering" on just about every highway in the state, and if you get caught there in addition to a fine you have to spend a set number of hours cleaning up ...
 
It’s not about the punishment it’s about the reward (bail) the city or state agency can make off an offense.

Just like there is no quota to write tickets but “activity” is highly encouraged.
 
sfsuphysics said:
7 years and nothing more than a slap on the wrist? Geezus... it's wonder why poaching at every level is done so frequently. Should be first offense you get caught, next time you get caught jail time not a misdemeanor, you know exactly what you're doing, you're going to spend time in prison with fines that pay for the cost of the prison stay.
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This is the same for a lot of crime these days. I believe there is a bill to reduce certain crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor. Eg a robbery, if no weapon was used and the victim was not seriously injured would be a misdemeanor and not a felony under this new bill. SB81 and SB82.
 
This sucks, obviously, but unfortunately pales in comparison to a lot of the other atrocities we have and still are committing. Anyone read about the crazy amount of barrels full of ddt that were dumped out near there for over a decade? Yep, they are still there... enforcement of all types needs to be stepped up greatly if things are going to be taken seriously. Unfortunately a lot of times what we can’t see doesn’t get taken seriously enough, and under the water is a convenient place for us not to look, and therefor we don’t see a lot of the problems.
 
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